One of golf’s biggest debates is still very much alive in the wake of Sunday’s final round at the Masters.

No, it’s not whether Tiger Woods will ever win another major. It’s whether or not the anchored putter should go the way of the dodo.

It doesn’t matter what side of the debate you fall on, the truth is the anchored putter is gaining momentum.

Surely much to the horror of the United States Golf Association and the Royal and Ancient folks, the putting method has won four of the past six majors.

Just after winning the Masters by broomsticking a putt into the hole in a playoff against Argentina’s Angel Cabrera on Sunday, Australian Adam Scott sat on the podium in his newly-fitted green jacket and wondered what another notch in the majors-win column would do for the pro-anchoring debate.

“Well, I don’t know what it’s going to do,” he said. “We are all waiting to hear what’s going to happen. I don’t know that this is going to impact any decisions at all. You know my feeling on it all; that it was inevitable that big tournaments would be won with this equipment, because you know, these are the best players in the world and they practice thousands of hours. They are going to get good with whatever they are using. It’s inevitable.”

Yes, it is inevitable.

With each victory, the USGA and R&A’s case for a ban is becoming less and less sensible.

Another player who has won majors with and without the long putter, Ernie Els, explained Wednesday afternoon why letting so much time elapse without doing anything has made banning it seem silly.

“It’s starting to find some history of its own,” Els said at Hilton Head, S.C., in his news conference ahead of this week’s RBC Heritage. “It has become part of the game.”

Els pointed to 14-year-old Tianlang Guan as an example of the anchored putter not just being for old guys who had the yips.

“It has become part of the game, younger guys are using it, it’s not just guys who have putting problems,” Els said.

“The fear of this putting method taking over the game has not happened.”

While it has not taken over the game, as Els points out, it certainly has gained a foothold in major championships.

But perhaps the best take on the anchored putter debate came from the man who lost the Masters at the hands of one.

Cabrera showed such sportsmanship in the loss Sunday and he continued to be gracious when asked about losing to Scott and his long putter.

“No, I don’t think there is any advantage,” Cabrera said. “If it really is an advantage, why (doesn’t) everybody play it? So, you know, I’m just happy for him.”

DAY NOT GREEN WITH ENVY

Jason Day was right there on Sunday at the Masters and he had a shot at becoming the first Aussie Masters champ.

Instead, he faltered, coming in with bogeys on 17 and 18 at Augusta and had to settle for third, while the spoils went to his compatriot, Scott.

While disappointed he couldn’t get it done himself, Day said Wednesday that it couldn’t have happened to a better guy.

“Everyone’s happy, so happy, that Scotty won,” Day said at Hilton Head, where he’ll play this week. “I’m happy he won as well.

“It took us 77 Masters to get one, it was a long time coming. Greg (Norman) in the past, and a few other guys in the past as well, have been so close.”

At only 25, Day has finished as runner-up or in third in three majors now, so he knows what it’s like to have to wait to get it done. He knows his time will come, but this moment belongs to Scott.

“We were trading texts back and forth,” Day said. “He texted me and said, ‘I know you’re disappointed but you showed a lot of class.’ And I texted him back and said, ‘You know what? I’m glad it was you to be the first, it goes down in history forever mate.’

“It really does, being the first Australian to win the Masters goes down in history and that has got to feel good for him. I know that he’s had an amazing career up until now and going back and the way he finished last year in the British was difficult. And I’m sure he was disappointed then but it just makes the win now so much sweeter. It just goes to show that he worked on it and improved and he’s become a better player on and off the golf course. He’s believing in himself and that’s why he won the Masters.”

THE BACHELOR

One of the offshoots of Scott’s Masters victory was that he put the female TV viewership into a frenzy. The 32-year-old Aussie’s good looks had people setting up Twitter accounts in honour of his hair and his biceps.

That $1.4-million payday had many people thinking Scott was quite an eligible bachelor.

Sorry, ladies, but Scott confirmed Wednesday morning on CBS This Morning, that he is, indeed, taken.

“I’m not single at all,” Scott said when pressed by host Gayle King about his status. “I’m very much in a relationship and very happy for the moment.”

WEIR UPDATE

Mike Weir, who has been battling a rib injury, is skipping this week’s RBC Heritage. However, he said Friday that he didn’t feel playing in the Masters did any more damage.

“I’m glad I played at Augusta and I don’t think my ribs are any worse than they were before I came here,” he wrote on his blog at mikeweir.com.

ON THE TEE

PGA Tour

RBC Heritage

Harbour Town Golf Links (7,101 yards, par 71), Hilton Head, S.C.

-- Canadians in the field include Stephen Ames, Graham DeLaet, Brad Fritsch and David Hearn. Hearn and DeLaet are grouped together for the first two rounds. Fritsch and his amateur partners won Monday’s pro-am.

LPGA Tour

LPGA Lotte Championship

Ko Olina Golf Club (6,383 yards, par 72), Kapolei, Hawaii.

-- Inbee Park comes in at No. 1 in the world ranking, ending Stacy Lewis’ four-week run at the top.

European Tour

Spanish Open

Parador de El Saler (7,052 yards, par 72), Valencia.

--Sergio Garcia plays in his country’s open championship on the heels of a tie for eighth at the Masters.

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Golf's biggest debate rages on post-Masters, and it's not about Tiger Woods

TIM McKAY, QMI Agency

First posted:
Wednesday, April 17, 2013 05:22 PM EDT

One of golf’s biggest debates is still very much alive in the wake of Sunday’s final round at the Masters.

No, it’s not whether Tiger Woods will ever win another major. It’s whether or not the anchored putter should go the way of the dodo.

It doesn’t matter what side of the debate you fall on, the truth is the anchored putter is gaining momentum.

Surely much to the horror of the United States Golf Association and the Royal and Ancient folks, the putting method has won four of the past six majors.

Just after winning the Masters by broomsticking a putt into the hole in a playoff against Argentina’s Angel Cabrera on Sunday, Australian Adam Scott sat on the podium in his newly-fitted green jacket and wondered what another notch in the majors-win column would do for the pro-anchoring debate.